The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner of an exhaust reflux (circulation) type in which exhaust from a motorized fan internal to a vacuum cleaner body is circulated to a floor suction tool via hose and pipe.
Japanese Application Number 11-163986 proposes an electric vacuum cleaner, wherein air in a circulation path of exhaust from a motorized fan is circulated to a floor suction tool that has a rotatable rotation brush. The recirculated air is blown toward the surface to be cleaned inside the floor suctioning tool. The rotation brush of the floor tool is rotated by the exhaust to remove dust from the surface to be cleaned. The dirt is buoyed up by the air flow to make it easier to suction the dirt into the vacuum cleaner.
When a vacuum cleaner is used for cleaning a carpet with long fibers, the rotation brush may have insufficient rotational torque when the rotational force of the rotation brush relies only on the circulated exhaust. Dust deep inside the fibers of the carpet and the like may not be satisfactorily removed.
In order to solve this problem, there has been considered a construction wherein the floor suction tool has a separate electric motor that forcibly rotates the rotation brush. However, space for wiring the feeder lines to the motor is needed. If wiring space for feeder lines is provided on a floor suctioning tool with a two layer construction of a air suctioning path and exhaust path, the floor suctioning tool becomes large and difficult to use.
In view of the above problems, the object of the present invention is to provide an electric vacuum cleaner that simplifies the construction of the floor suction tool and also improves its dust removing performance.
Briefly stated, the present invention provides a vacuum cleaner in which pressurized filtered exhaust air from a motorized fan in the vacuum cleaner body passes on an exhaust path to a floor suction tool. The exhaust air is directed by the floor suction tool generally parallel to the surface to be cleaned to agitate dust and thus to improve cleaning performance. An electric motor in the floor suction tool drives a rotation brush. The exhaust air is also directed toward the rotation brush in the floor suction tool in a direction to add rotation force to the rotation brush. Feeder lines to the electric motor pass through the exhaust path so that the feeder lines are exposed only to filtered air. Passing the feeder lines through the exhaust path avoids the necessity to make special provision for the feeder lines. The exhaust path passes along a hose, and may optionally pass along one or more extension pipes on its way to the floor suction tool.
According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided an electric vacuum cleaner, comprising: a vacuum cleaner body containing a motorized fan, a floor suction tool, a rotation brush in said floor suction tool, a motor in said floor suction tool for rotating said rotation brush, an air circulation exhaust path from said vacuum cleaner body to said floor suction tool, said air circulation exhaust path including an air filter, whereby air in said air circulation exhaust path is clean air, electric lines from said vacuum cleaner body to said motor for rotating said rotation brush, and said electric lines passing along said air circulation exhaust path, whereby said electric lines are protected from contaminants in air moving therepast.
The first means of the present invention is an electric vacuum cleaner, comprising: a vacuum cleaner body containing an internal motorized fan; a flexible hose connected to the vacuum cleaner body; an extension pipe that is optionally connected to the hose; a floor suction tool that is connected to the extension pipe; a circulation path in which exhaust from the motorized fan is circulated to the floor suction tool via the hose and the extension pipe; a rotation brush and a motor that drives the rotation brush being provided on the floor suction tool; and feeder lines to the motor in the circulation path.
In the first means of the present invention, preferably, the floor suction tool is constructed from a suction tool body, a pivoting pipe that can be moved up and down with respect to the suction tool body, a connection pipe that can be pivoted in the circumferential direction with respect to the pivoting pipe; and the feeder lines are placed in the circulation path formed on the pivoting pipe and the connection pipe; and the feeder lines have more slack than the pivoting distance of the pivoting pipe and the connection pipe.
In the first means of the present invention, preferably, the exhaust air is guided to the rotation brush in the rotation direction of the rotation brush.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.